hail britannia

Catching up with Houston's new British Consul-General and top UK designer

British aesthetics and sensibilities have recently been front-and-center in everything from sartorial choices to residential design. From Cottagecore to Cluttercore, Houston has embraced it all.

Recently, far more than British aesthetics have sailed up the bayou. Between a newly-appointed Consul General, details about the residence’s secret art gallery and annual Winston Churchill birthday bash, to a book tour by veteran interior designer and Churchill descendant Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill, there has been a lot.

A home in River Oaks, which is sometimes known to project the Union Jack upon its classic white façade, has been home to the British Consul General since the building’s purchase in 1963. The nearly 4,500-square-foot manse dates back to 1948 (when it was valued at $11,380!), but with the diligent stewardship of the Brits, one can hardly notice its age.

Beginning in September of this year, the residence has been inhabited by Keith Scott, the current Consul General (which has overall responsibility for leading the UK’s engagement in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and New Mexico) and acts as a meeting and event space as well as housing a rotating first floor art exhibition curated by Yvonamor Palix of Gallery Artique in the Heights.

“I’m so very excited to be in Houston,” says Scott of his new assignment. “When I was growing up in Aberdeen, a lot of my friends ended up in the oil industry and came to Houston. And there has always been a big, big exchange of people in Houston and Aberdeen, so it was always in the back of my mind as a place to come and visit.”

Scott admits that being in the residence makes the old adage true — everything is bigger in Texas. “This house is huge, the driving is huge, the businesses are huge. I was proud, when I had to go to the UK embassy in Washington, to wear my Texas pin badge, and see the number of staff who jumped up from their chairs and were shouting: ‘Republic of Texas!’ It was really good to get that sense of where Texas sits in the U.S., and all these stats about Texas — we’re the eighth biggest GDP in the world. They keep me busy, and I’m looking forward to more of this.”

One thing Scott wasn’t quite expecting of his new home is that almost the entire first floor is an art gallery. For nearly 15 years, international art curator and gallerist Yvonamor Palix has been at the helm of curating works for both the British, French, and Mexican residences — open for exploration and enjoyment by all invited guests.

“I am the daughter of a career diplomat who loves art,” says Palix. “It was my parents’ influence that took me to discover this amazing field of work on an international level — Paris, Mexico City and then Houston. I have been curating in diplomatic venues for much of my career. Perhaps it is because art is a conversation starter, or it brings people together and creates unique experiences.”

Current artists on view — by vetted appointments by Palix and residence staff — include Ruth Gervich, Jane Liang, Duncan Wylie, Alex Gutierrez, Pep Guerrero, Alicia Paz, Karine Parker, Lesley Bodzy, Cha DAE-Duck, and Claire Basler.

British designer sounds off

Most recently, the residence hosted an invite-only soirée to commemorate the birthday of Winston Churchill, while simultaneously operating as an intimate de facto tour stop for a new book written by his relative, Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill, about his birthplace (if interested in the somewhat complicated family tree — buy the book).

Blenheim: 300 Years of Life in a Palace, published by Rizzoli, is Spencer-Churchill’s 12th book. While her previous books have all been written strictly on interior design, this book is a heritage project more for her family than anything else. CultureMap sat down with Spencer-Churchill for a chat about her new book, her design career, tips on how to curate a British aesthetic, and why she thinks social media is giving interior design a bad name.

“I did this [book] as a legacy for my family home,” Spencer-Churchill begins. “I didn’t do anything to be business-related; it’s just a legacy for our family home — people, architecture, interiors, the park and garden, lifestyle, logistics, and the future.”

As a 45-year interior design veteran, with a shop in Woodstock, where Blenheim Palace is located, and her wildly-successful Spencer-Churchill Design firm, the great-granddaughter of Consuelo Vanderbilt is slowing down just enough to spill the proverbial tea.

With a specialty in restoring listed (i.e., historically-protected) buildings and old houses, especially Georgian-era architecture, Spencer-Churchill appreciates the opportunity to stretch her imagination with a new-build project from time to time.

“In a funny way, it gives you a chance to be more creative, because you’re putting in the features,” she explains. “The more challenging ones are the ones you start from scratch, especially because listed buildings have so many restrictions. I love the creativity of putting in the architectural features — picking the fireplace, picking the trim, picking the plaster work, all of that sort of thing. I think that’s what adds all of the character to a room.”

As for tips for getting that effortless, just-so look? “I always want to start with the bones, and make sure that’s right,” says Spencer-Churchill. “Then, from that, you build it up with the layers — the furniture, the pictures, the furnishings, etc. I use a lot of antiques in my business, because, largely, they give a lot of character; secondly, they are so much better made; and thirdly, they are much cheaper than what’s available new.”

Auctions are where Spencer-Churchill suggests shoppers look for the best deals on quality antiques: “In England, a lot of the old antique shops have disappeared. They just don’t have enough business, and rates and rents, and everything are so high — so I think that’s why now a lot of people are buying at auction.”

When asked about social media trends involving interior design, Spencer-Churchill admits that it’s a bit of a double-edged sword: “I use the internet as much as anyone else does now — you have to.” She will use Pinterest for research purposes (relatable!), but thinks that “designers” who chase trends for likes on social platforms are contributing to problematic practices.

“There are a lot of designers who are really just decorators. I think this is why I get quite negative about Instagram and things like that, because it’s easy for someone to photograph something, put it on Instagram, and say ‘Look at this, look at that!’ It slightly drives me mad. And I think, in a sense, it gives the industry a bit of a bad name—that’s why I’ve gotten a little bit annoyed.”

At the end of the day, good design is something that doesn’t shout someone else’s tastes, it’s about taking what the homeowner loves, and making it theirs, something that Spencer-Churchill prides herself on.

“I’m one of those designers where I don’t put my stamp on a project. I very much try to reflect the client, and I’m passionate about the architecture and details. I don’t have an ego, or my ego is that I’ve done a really good job and the client is happy — it’s on budget, it’s on time. I don’t have to live with the decor. There is definitely a lot of stuff I’ve done that I wouldn’t want to live with myself, but that’s fine — you know?”

Courtesy of the British Consulate-General

The British Consul General’s River Oaks residence can be difficult to miss along Kirby Drive.

home-design river oaks

Marburger Farm updated

Round Top's 43-acre antique show unveils renovations for spring 2026

Courtesy of Marburger Farm

Visit Marburger Farm March 24-28.

The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus believed that the only constant in life is change. Since 1997, the Marburger Farm Antique Show, which typically closes out both the spring and fall editions of the Round Top Antiques & Design Show, has largely remained unchanged. As enthusiastic Marburger tailgaters listen for that opening triangle to ring, everyone has their well-established and particular beeline-paths prepared in advance. But this year, change is a’comin’.

When the fall show closed last October, Marburger began a huge renovation project that included the full restoration of its historic buildings, including the original Marburger Farmhouse, Legler House, Coufal House, Zieger House, Silver Dollar Saloon, Gulf Warehouse, Dance Hall, Bingo Hall, Blacksmith Shop, and the General Store. Notably, the restoration has made it possible to add heating and air conditioning to these structures.

New additions debuting this spring include The Canteen, which is a large food pavilion overlooking the previously-underutilized pond; The Parlor, a design showcase space; a live music stage; enhanced pathways; and a communal green space designed for gathering and celebration. Over the summer, the addition of two large climate-controlled sheds and updated seating and lounge areas throughout the grounds will complete the project.

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“This is a much more intentional undertaking to really breathe life into those buildings,” Marburger CEO John Sughrue tells CultureMap. “It’s going to be very obvious — when on the property — what we’ve done. The vision for what we’re doing was establishing a greater sense of place, and a greater sense of community.”

While fans may worry that these improvements may impact the charming and rustic aesthetic that shoppers have come to expect at Marburger, the overall experience should remain the same. Once randomly strewn across the 43-acre property, the historic structures have been gathered together around a newly-hardscaped central square. New green spaces are intended to evoke a sense of nostalgia, the layout inspired by the Texas Courthouse Square. At one end, the western-facing pavilion will overlook the pond and rolling hills, and adjacent to that, the familiar 90,000-square-feet of tented shopping remain unchanged.

“One thing that is apparent about Marburger is that people have a real sense of connection with it, a sense of history, and take a personal interest in it,” says Sughrue. “You’ll see that in the level of craftsmanship, the placemaking, and how we have, in essence, redeveloped the existing historical buildings.”

One of the things Sughrue is enthusiastic about is the ability to participate in the winter show, as well as inviting exhibitors who left for climate-controlled venues to return home to Marburger. Improved facilities for their local and beloved food and beverage vendors make for expanded offerings and shorter lines — a notion sure to please even the most staunch Marburger purists.

“We are trying very much to maintain the Texas heritage of Marburger,” Sughrue says. “I consider us guardians or stewards of the brand. I consider Marburger a brand like Blue Bell Ice Cream or the State Fair of Texas. There is something very much rooted in the land, very much rooted in how generations now have engaged with Marburger and in Round Top. We are trying to hold tight to being a heritage brand, while positioning for the future — that’s what we’re trying to do.”

Sughrue is all too aware of some of the sentiments that were shared five years ago when Marburger was purchased by “these Dallas guys” [real estate development firm Brook Partners]. In the last four years, they have listened to vendors and guests alike to learn how they can improve the show experience for their core audience: top exhibitors, designers, architects, and vendors. While he finds the relatively-recent glitterati element in Round Top to be amusing, it’s not something he’s interested in attracting or catering to specifically. So, everyone can let out a sigh of relief on that concern.

“These are designers who come into Round Top, and to Marburger in particular, and they are very important to our success. We attract some of the best exhibitors in the country, if not the world,” explains Sughrue. “Day one they meet with designers who have flown in from all over the country. Our focus is being a resource to those designers and architects — that’s what’s driving our business. We are not a lifestyle offering, and we are not trying to be all things to all people.”

At the end of the day, Sughrue’s overall goal is connecting the best exhibitors to the best buyers. “Everything else that happens in Round Top is just noise.” He loves the generational aspect of Marburger, oftentimes noticing three generations shopping together in the tents.

“Y’all make a tough crowd, I’ll tell you that,” Sughrue says with a laugh. “I think we are going to get more of it right than wrong, and what we get wrong — we are going to listen very hard to people — we are going to make that right. I promise you that. Marburger captivates me. It just devours all of my time and attention, but how lucky am I?! All these issues surround purpose-driven lives, and we get to work on Marburger to bring a community of people together to celebrate design, antiques, Texas. It’s like the American Dream is alive and well on the Round Top fields during Marburger. It’s just an incredible collection of people.”

Visit the refreshed Marburger Farms from Tuesday, March 24 to Saturday, March 28. Purchase tickets at marburgerfarm.com.

Courtesy of Marburger Farm

Visit Marburger Farm March 24-28.

marburger farm round top shopping